At the end of the day, you don't necessarily need a team to win the tour. Cadel never had a decent team.
I know you've qualified it with 'necessarily', but I disagree. The only time Cadel won was when he HAD a decent team around him.
The last couple of years have highlighted, to me, that you need good form and good luck to win a Grand Tour. And that luck must extend to your team.
You could see Sky getting all cock-a-hoop when they won the TdF in 2012 & 2013. But those were the two races they really targeted, and really they've won virtually bugger all else. They've had:
- Wiggins failing to stay upright at the Giro in 2013, then retiring
- Froome crashing in last year's TdF, then 'Plan B Porte' falling ill, with both retiring.
- bad luck again for Porte at this year's Giro.
Lots of those things are beyond your control, but you have to minimise their impact to win a grand tour. And part of that is how a team helps their GC contender.
i just love it for the scenery...france is fucking beautiful
Agree. The ASO certainly know how to showcase the countryside. A fantastic marketing job.
I reckon piloting one of the TV choppers would be one of the coolest jobs ever.